Weather: Rain swept through the county. Officials had planned to hold the ceremony indoors regardless of weather, but the showers did hold up graduate Samantha Seifert's family in Maryland. And it ruined her curls. "My mom was so upset," she said.

Students awaited graduation ceremonies Thursday night for the York County School of Technology. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS -- HANNAH SAWYER)

Don't trip: The graduates were excited for the ceremony, but Marisa Wolfe of Spring Grove said her biggest fear wasn't entering the job market, it was of physically receiving her diploma. "I'm afraid I'm going to trip," she said.

First in the family: Jayshaun Stinson of York had a big crowd of family and friends supporting him during the ceremony. He's a middle child, but as the first in his family to receive a diploma, it was his first graduation ceremony. "I'm feeling good right now," he said.

Big plans: "I can cook," Nigel Worley said, and he plans to put his skills to use next year at culinary school. Many of the graduates said they would be enrolling in college classes next fall. The summer will be about "work, work, work," said Shaelyn Seiple of York. Seiple said she would be using funds from her summer job to help pay for her education at Penn State York.

Ramen noodles and adulthood: Seifert said the only advice she had been given was "to learn how to budget, that way I'm not eating ramen every day." And if you're not good at budgeting, then you've got to learn to love ramen noodles.

One day to graduate: "Thirteen years of school, 18 years of life and just one day to graduate," class speaker Alissa Fisher told her fellow graduates. Enjoy the moment.

Break things: "Although diverse in cultures, interests and personalities, it didn't stop us from becoming friends," Tirzah Housman told her classmates during the ceremony. She advised them not to strive for perfection, but to welcome the good and the bad. "Fall down, make a mess and break something occasionally."